PASADENA, Calif. (November 22, 2013) – The Tournament of Roses has selected Cheryl Cecchetto, James Folsom and René van Rems to be float judges for the 125th Rose Parade® presented by Honda. Twenty-four of the 46 floral masterpieces entered in the parade will receive awards in a variety of categories and specifications. Judges’ scores will be based on criteria such as creative design, floral craftsmanship, artistic merit, computerized animation, thematic interpretation, floral and color presentation and dramatic impact. Cecchetto, Folsom and van Rems were selected by the Tournament’s Judging Committee, chaired by Richard De Jesu. Tournament of Roses President Scott Jenkins announces the winning floats the morning of January 1, 2014.

“Rose Parade floats are designed, built and decorated by teams who put heart and soul into each unique presentation,” said De Jesu. “Our esteemed panel of judges looks at each float through a creative lens and identifies those elements that are most entertaining to viewers. All three judges bring a diverse set of skills that complement each other’s knowledge in their profession.”

About the 2014 Rose Parade Float Judges

Cheryl Cecchetto is the president and owner of Sequoia Productions. She produces, directs and designs illustrious events and consults with distinguished clients in the fields of design, live entertainment, food and wine.

She has been the sole producer, director and designer to the Academy Awards® Governors Ball for 25 years, the Emmy® Awards Governors Ball for 16 years and Australia’s G’DAY USA events for 10 years.

She has been featured on “Good Morning America,” “The Today Show,” CNN, E! Entertainment, “FOX News,” “CBS News,” “ABC On The Red Carpet” and “Access Hollywood.” Her events and designs have been written about in countless publications including The Los Angeles Times, In Style, The Robb Report,Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Vanity Fair and People magazine.

Cecchetto is a highly sought after speaker at industry events around the world. She recently served as the international keynote speaker for the MiceCon 2013 conference in the Philippines, ISES Toronto’s Ignite Business Event Expo in Toronto, Ontario and the Sydney Event Showcase and Australian Business Events Expo in Sydney, Australia.

James Folsom is the Marge and Sherm Telleen/Marion and Earl Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens at The Huntington. He first began his career at the Gardens in 1984 as the assistant curator and after gradually moving up the ladder as curator, became the director in 1991. As such, Folsom is responsible for managing staff, landscapes, collections and programming. He also oversees maintenance and improvements to the grounds and promotes horticulture, research and interpretation.

Folsom sets the pace and motivates the staff and volunteers who: welcome more than 500,000 visitors to the Gardens each year, care for and cultivate everything from plants to displays, conduct classes, tours and workshops and make the Gardens an important community asset.

His passion for botany stems from an intrigue of the importance of plants on earth and the overall beauty of their elements; such as, cellular structure and seed germination. Folsom finds gardening a creative and satisfying pursuit and enjoys educating the community about both plants and gardening.

Folsom received his bachelor’s degree in botany from Auburn University in 1972, his master’s in biology from Vanderbilt University in 1979, and his doctorate in botany from University of Texas in 1987. In 2001 he became a certified arborist from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

René van Rems is an award-winning floral designer, keynote speaker, instructor and author. Born in Amsterdam, van Rems was educated in the entire spectrum of floriculture at the world-famous Floral Institute in Holland prior to moving to the United States.

He is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) and the National Speakers Association (NSA) and has served as the director of promotions for the California Cut Flower Commission for 10 years, conducting masterful stage programs across the nation for California’s flower industry.

He has been featured on ABC, NBC, Fox TV, KPBS and Home and Garden Television showcasing European influence on trends in American floral design. Van Rems was awarded the Francis Jones Poetker Award from the American Horticulture Society. He was also the recipient of the Los Angeles Flower Market’s first René van Rems Award for excellence in design education.

Van Rems has published two books: “René’s Bouquets - A Guide To Euro-Style Hand-Tied Bouquets” (2008) and “René’s Bouquets for Brides” (2011).